StepOut

Job Title: Lead Data Scientist

Department: Data Science

Location: Bengaluru

About StepOut

Sports have an access problem. For decades, elite performance intelligence, tactical analysis, and scouting infrastructure have been accessible only to the top clubs. Everyone else has been left behind. StepOut is changing that.

We are building an AI-powered football intelligence platform that transforms raw match footage into structured performance data, tactical insights, and scouting intelligence using proprietary computer vision and machine learning.

We are building this from India, while our technology is being used by clubs like Real Madrid and AFC Ajax, along with leading football ecosystems across 29 countries globally.

If football means something to you beyond entertainment, this might be your place.

The Role

We’re looking for a Lead Data Scientist to help build intelligent systems that understand football at scale.

This is not a research-only role. This is not a notebook-only role.

This is an innovative builder’s role.

You will create production-grade machine learning systems that directly influence how clubs, coaches, scouts, and players make decisions.

As a lead, your role goes beyond building models. You will define technical direction, shape the data science function, mentor talent, and help create the foundations of what this team becomes.

What You’ll Do

• Build and deploy end-to-end ML systems for football intelligence products
• Translate football concepts into scalable data models, metrics, and decision systems
• Own the full ML lifecycle: experimentation, deployment, monitoring, and iteration
• Work closely with Product, Engineering, and Computer Vision teams to solve real-world problems
• Debug messy, imperfect data and design reliable analytical pipelines
• Define technical direction for the data science function
• Mentor junior team members and raise engineering and analytical standards
• Help hire and shape the future data science team
• Drive prioritization and decision-making in ambiguous, fast-moving environments
• Constantly engage in learning new and upcoming research topics and subjects in sports analytics
• Obtain a deep and implementational level understanding of established advanced analytical research areas and models

Must-Haves

• Strong ML fundamentals across supervised and unsupervised learning, experimentation, and model evaluation
• Strong Python, SQL, data analysis, and production engineering mindset
• Experience taking ML systems from idea to production
• Strong ownership, judgment, and decision-making ability
• Ability to communicate clearly with both technical and business stakeholders

Football Passion (Mandatory)

• You must actively follow football and genuinely understand the game.
• Formations, tactical systems, player roles, match flow, performance context - these should feel natural to you.

Good to Have

• Computer vision experience (YOLO, tracking, PyTorch, TensorFlow)
• Sports analytics experience
• LLM or agentic AI experience
• Public ML or football analytics work (GitHub, blogs, research)

Who Will Thrive Here

This role is for someone who sees football as more than just a sport.

Someone who debates tactics, spots patterns others miss, and gets excited by the idea of building technology that changes how the game is understood.

You’ll thrive here if you:

• Love football deeply, not casually
• Love building from scratch
• Thrive in ambiguity and move fast without waiting for perfect instructions
• Want ownership, accountability, and meaningful impact
• Get excited by the idea of your work being used by elite football organizations
• Believe technology can fundamentally reshape sport
• Want to be part of something bigger than just another job

Why StepOut

Because opportunities like this are rare.

Where else can you:

• Build cutting-edge AI for football
• Solve hard problems at the intersection of sport and technology
• Create products used by elite clubs globally
• Build a global company from India
• Shape an entire function from the ground up
• Contribute to a mission bigger than business

We are building from a country ranked 142nd in world football, with the belief that world-class football infrastructure can be built from here. 

But this is bigger than software. 

Our long-term dream is to help build the infrastructure that contributes to India playing in a FIFA World Cup.

If that sounds unrealistic, even better.

“The people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world are the ones who do.” – Steve Jobs

At StepOut, we are building technology that sits at the cutting edge of football and artificial intelligence. If you are ready to contribute your precision and curiosity to a team that is reshaping how the game is understood — this is your opportunity⚽

Role Overview 

We are looking for a highly driven and curious Business Development Intern to join our fast-paced team at StepOut. This role sits at the intersection of strategy, operations, and execution, where you will actively contribute to building and scaling our business pipeline. 

You’ll work closely with the core team on market research, lead generation, and automation of business workflows, while gaining hands-on exposure to how a sports-tech startup operates and grows. 

If you’re someone who enjoys solving problems, thinking strategically, and executing with speed — this role will give you unmatched learning and ownership. 

Key Responsibilities 

1. Research & Analysis 

● Conduct market and competitor research to identify opportunities and trends ● Analyze potential segments, partnerships, and growth channels 

● Translate research into actionable insights for business strategy 

2. Lead Generation & Scouting 

● Identify and build high-quality lead pipelines across relevant segments ● Scout potential partners, clients, and collaborators 

● Maintain structured lead databases and tracking systems

3. Outreach & Execution 

● Execute targeted outbound reach-outs (based on defined goals) 

● Support in crafting messaging and improving response rates 

● Assist in maintaining consistency and quality in all communications 

Must-Have Skills 

● Strong communication skills (Fluent in English, professional & well-spoken) ● Good understanding of business, startups, and marketing fundamentals

● Hands-on familiarity with AI tools (for productivity, research, or automation)

● Working knowledge of Microsoft Office (especially Excel) 

● Ability to work in a high-performance, fast-paced team environment ● Basic understanding of LinkedIn for research and outreach 

Good-to-Have Skills 

● Prior experience working with a startup or early-stage company 

● Exposure to CRM tools or automation platforms 

● Strong analytical thinking and structured problem-solving ability 

● Interest in process optimization and operational efficiency 

● Understanding of sales funnels and customer lifecycle 

● Interest or knowledge in football is preferred 

Culture Fit (What We’re Looking For) 

● High ownership and bias for action 

● Willingness to learn, adapt, and move fast 

● Strong team player with a collaborative mindset 

● Comfortable with ambiguity and solving unstructured problems 

What You’ll Gain 

● Real exposure to business development in a startup environment 

● Hands-on experience with automation tools, CRM systems, and outreach strategies ● Opportunity to work directly with core decision-makers 

● A fast-learning environment with high ownership and impact

We are looking for a highly creative and Football-Savvy Video Editor to join our Marketing and Content Team. In this role, you will be responsible for crafting compelling football content across documentaries, cinematic edits, reels, tactical explainers, player features, and social-first media formats. You will work with the Marketing and Content Team to bring stories to life through impactful visuals, motion graphics, and modern editing workflows. If you understand football culture, storytelling, pacing, and digital audience behavior, this role gives you the opportunity to create content that reaches football teams and fans globally.

Responsibilities:

• Edit documentaries, reels, cinematic montages, player features, interviews, and social media content.
• Create storyboards and visualize scenes from scripts, concepts, and narration.
• Design motion graphics, transitions, and animations using Adobe After Effects.
• Maintain strong visual quality and consistent branding across all content pieces.
• Collaborate with the creative, branding, and content teams to execute ideas efficiently.
• Manage footage, assets, project timelines, and editing workflows in an organized manner.
• Optimize content formats for Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn, and other digital platforms.
• Stay updated with football media trends, editing styles, viral formats, and audience engagement patterns.
• Deliver high-quality edits within deadlines in a fast-paced production environment.
• Use AI-powered tools and modern editing workflows to improve efficiency and turnaround time.

The core requirements for the job include the following:

Must-Have Skills (Non-Negotiable):

• Strong proficiency in Adobe Premiere Pro and Adobe After Effects.
• Minimum 2 years of experience in video editing and motion Graphics.
• Strong understanding of storytelling, pacing, sound design, and cinematic editing.
• Ability to independently conceptualize and execute creative edits.
• Strong understanding of social-first content formats and short-form storytelling.
• Ability to work with AI tools and modern editing workflows for faster production cycles.
• Genuine passion for football and sports content (critical for culture fit).

Bonus Skills (Good to Have):

• Experience with color grading and cinematic visual treatments.
• Familiarity with Photoshop, Illustrator, Blender, or 3D workflows.
• Understanding of sports documentaries and football storytelling formats.
• Experience handling camera footage, shoots, or production workflows.
• Prior experience working in sports media, sports tech, or football-focused brands.

We are seeking a Full-stack Developer to help build the next generation of StepOut's web and mobile platforms. In this role, you will design, develop, and optimize applications that deliver performance insights to athletes and coaches worldwide. You'll work in a fast-paced, collaborative environment where ownership, agility, and creativity are keys.

Responsibilities:

• Build and maintain scalable frontend applications using React (JS and native preferred).
• Develop backend services and APIs using Python (Django/Flask preferred).
• Design and manage databases (MongoDB + MySQL).
• Own features end-to-end from planning to deployment.
• Write clean, modular, and production-grade code.
• Debug issues deeply and implement long-term fixes (not patches).
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams (design, product, analytics).
• Contribute to system design, scalability, and performance improvements as a team player.

Requirements:

• Strong experience with React (React JS + React Native preferred).
• Strong experience with Python (Django/Flask preferred).
• Working knowledge of MongoDB and MySQL.
• Ability to build and consume REST APIs.
• Strong problem-solving and debugging ability.
• Genuine interest in football/sports (critical for culture fit).

Bonus Skills (Good to Have):

• Familiarity with cloud platforms (AWS, GCP, or Azure).
• Experience with Docker and containerization.
• Prior exposure to sports-tech, analytics, or performance platforms.